Pixies and Vampires Just Don't Mix

.:Matthew's P.O.V:.

I stared sourly at the mirror as I looked myself over in my black and white tux and shiny black shoes. I glared, hating the look. Not the look of the tux, the look me being in it with a bride. I didn't feel the need. Women these days, all they care about is looks really. I've looked up my name on the internet, sadly enough I wish I hadn't. All those lonely souls sitting at their computers writing ridiculous love stories between my human maids and myself. That's probably how Madeline became so jumpy and shy around me.
I mean, she'd always act like that but like she was about to become lunch, not like she was about to be raped.
What kind of prince would I be if I went around raping people?

One of my male workers was rummaging around in my walk-in closet to my left, looking for the red tie my mother had given me for my birthday. Though I knew exactly where it was, I didn't bother saying anything since I was too annoyed to talk at that moment.
All this business with the ball and finding a wife was simply too much for me to handle...
Correction; too much I wanted to handle.

I only wish I hadn't let the pixie get away.
For that second I didn't quite think about why I wished the pixie was here.
I didn't think about how I needed her blood to save my father.
I didn't think about how if she were here, I'd just have to give her to my father and all this wife business would be in the past and I'd be free to live my life as a single man for a little longer.
No, I didn't think about any of that. I only thought about how I wished she were here.
She'd be here, sitting on the desk, that resulting scowled appearing on her face at every word I said.

Her long black hair would seemed to glisten in the sunlight that shined through the window glass, her light green eyes narrowed into a glare at my expense but still lovely all the same, her voice sang as if she were an angel even if her song was a screeching chorus of insults being thrown in my face. I didn't understand why I wanted to see her so badly but I stopped questioning it after a while. All I knew was that I wanted her here and I didn't care why.

.:Lenore's P.O.V:.

"Uh! Stop! That hurts!!" I screamed out in pain as Jasmine stood behind me, pulling at my light blonde hair.
"Come on! Your hair is so matted!" She yelled back, pushing down on my shoulders as I tried to stand up from the wooden chair she'd forced me into. I scowled into the 'mirror' -which Jasmine had told me it was called-, watching Jasmine run the black 'comb' through my hair. More like tug, rake, and pull it through my hair.

"I mean, G.O.D, Pixie! Didn't you ever brush this stuff?!" She gestured to my hair and I rolled my eyes.
"Excuse me for not living in a castle." I glowered.
"You don't have to live in a castle to own a comb." She grumbled back.

"Jasmine. She's a pixie. And in case you've forgotten, her regular size would be too small to comb her hair. Besides, pixies rarely bother with their looks. Most of them are naturally beautiful, anyway." Seth said from the door way. I looked in his direction to see him leaning against the door frame before Jasmine yanked my face back to look into the mirror again.
"Thank you!" I huffed in triumph, totally oblivious to his complement.
I had warmed up to them so much since I'd came here. I could actually, dare I say, trust them. I'm not saying I'd put my life in their hands, even though I knew they wouldn't dare harm me if they had a choice, but I believed that they actually wanted to help me.
Wanted me to be... their friend.

My head was jerked every other second for every time Jasmine brushed through the jungle my hair had become. I didn't see why it mattered so much that my hair looked well. What was so special about today? Jasmine has yet to tell me what a ball was besides a round child's' toy that she'd told me had nothing to do with it. I didn't understand why neither her nor Seth would tell me a thing about all this. I didn't bother nagging them about it since I'd find out tonight and I trusted it wouldn't be terrible.

We had left Luke at the 'mall' earlier today after Jasmine bought us some dresses and other things. Jasmine wouldn't let me see what she had bought me, telling me it'd be a surprise. Seth complained to her about treating me like her personal life sized 'Barbie' to dress up and give make overs. She only laughed and replied that that was exactly what I was today. I didn't mind it much except for this hair brushing part; it was rather painful.
Jasmine had given me a bath before she started on my hair, she scrubbed me down with 'soup' and a -what looked like- squishy rock. She complained through the whole bath about how I smelled of dirt and. . . grapes.

I didn't bother to tell her the story since Seth heard her from his room and explained it himself. The day I first met Seth. Being stuck in that jar with all the grape juice. It was disgusting. That was also the day I had my first bath. I guess it didn't do much good considering how badly Jasmine complained about my smell.

"Okay, I think that's about it." Jasmine smiled into the mirror, looking over my hair. I did the same, my hair didn't look much different, it was just a little more smooth. Jasmine had told me it would be so after she washed my hair with that 'poo' stuff. Some jell she scrubbed into my hair while I was bathing.
"We'll get back to styling it when I finish with your make up and jewelry." She squealed in delight and it reminded me of Nichol when she was dressing me up in the ugly green dress. She thought it was so cute, BLAH.

"Hey, maybe you should let Pixie relax for a minute. We can have a small snack. I hear you didn't eat at the mall." Seth said from the door way, a smirk playing on his face. I looked towards him now that I knew Jasmine wasn't going to jerk my head back into place in front of the mirror and smiled, nodding my head.

"I'm not very hungry but I'd like to try some food." I sounded so innocent. I wasn't used to that. I was used to defending myself when I was accused of doing something to get myself in trouble, like take a nut from the bottom of the pile of nuts for the winter and grand-mama would scold me about how I'm more of a hassle than a help. It was easy to understand.
Maybe since I wasn't a certain kind of pixie, I felt a need to get attention in some other way.
I mean, grand-mama could grow plants with the click of her fingers, pixies like her have the job of bringing spring to live when it was time. Anthony was a fire pixie. He could make fire in his bare hands. He practiced with his fire so much that he'd gotten a tan; I remember when he was as pale as me. And his mother... oh, his mother. She was a beautiful pixie, some believed she was more beautiful than the queen, though no one dared to say it out loud. She was a snow pixie, she brought the winter this year -along with other pixies like her-. Her long hair that reached all the way to the middle of her back -almost as long as mine- stayed white all year round. Occasionally it would turn a light blonde in the summer but that was as dark as it ever got.

And the queen, I loved gazing upon her beauty when ever I got the chance. Her short spiked hair changed into so many colors during the year it was hard to keep track. I remember one spring I'd seen her hair a light brown with a hint of pink in the back. It was simply amazing. Her skin color changed as well, from dark to pale all year round. Her eyes, on the other hand, remained black through the whole year. No one knows why but it's the one feature about her that really isn't envied. As beautiful as she was, her black eyes horrified us and told us to stay back as much as we could though her kind nature would fight that theory.

I let out a sigh at the memories from my 'childhood' and watched as Jasmine walked out of the room, following Seth as she yelled out for me to hurry up.
I didn't quite think about going back to the willow tree in the ways I'd used to. I didn't morn over the loss of my home though I still missed it deeply. I still wondered how Anthony was doing, if grand-mama had finished her spiderweb bed, if Anthony's parents had come back from their hunt for food, if everyone was okay without me there. Well, I'm sure their doing better without all the trouble being made for them to clean up but I still wondered if anyone there missed me.

.:Seth's P.O.V:.

I sat at my table across from Jasmine, who's smiling face could light up even the darkest of rooms. Pixie slowly appeared out of my bedroom, a thoughtful smile spread across her face. Though it was weaker than Jasmine's beaming white smile, it could make so any mans' knees weaker than the smile itself. And to be honest, I think I might be turning into one of them.
As tempting as it was to just sweep her off her feet and kiss those soft light pink lips of hers, it wouldn't be right.
No, I knew.
She belonged to Matthew, she was meant to be with him. That's the whole point of why Matthew found her in the first place, did you really think he could have caught her that easily if it weren't meant to be? Of course not.

Pixie's long bleach blonde hair was still dripping slightly from her bath. She was only wearing some of Jasmine's white gym shorts and a light blue tank-top. Thank goodness Jasmine came over when I'd asked her to, I wouldn't have the first clue about any of this getting ready besides putting on a tux, combing my hair back, and getting to the ball. Simple.

Pixie sat down and sighed thoughtfully, making Jasmine come out of her happy daze and looked towards her. "What's up, P.I.X.I.E?" She asked.
I guessed that she'd been calling her that for a while when Pixie just shook her head in response like she knew she was talking to her.
Pixie was an odd one, so hard to read. I could never guess was she was thinking about until I heard her talking in her sleep about Anthony. I didn't know who Anthony was but I'm guessing he was a boy back at her home... I didn't want to think about how close they were to each other because that would make me feel guilty about all this.

I shook off the feeling and continued in the conversation.

.:Matthew's P.O.V:.

I walked slowly down the staircase, looking around the bright foyer decorated with lights with classical music playing through the large speakers. Around the sides, by the walls, were a few tables for people to set their drink so they may be dancing in the ball room, the door to the dining room was fully open, welcoming any guessed that happened to be hungry.
My mother stood in the middle of the foyer, looking just as amazing as I was annoyed. She looked around the room until her eyes fell upon me and sparkled.
"Matthew, you look hansom." she smiled.
I didn't reply, I simply nodded and continued down the stairs. She met me at the end of the steps and hugged me tightly, "This is for the kingdom, my son." She spoke.

I sighed and pushed her away gently, "I understand, mother."
As much as I did understand that this was for the kingdom, that I may have a bride to rule over the land my father was leaving behind, I still hated the whole idea. I wasn't ready to rule, I still wanted to live on the right hand of my father, agreeing with any law he'd set down.
I looked to the right to see the two thrones seated on a sage at the end of the ballroom, for the queen and king to be seat during the ball. I wondered how they would manage that, getting my father out of bed to sit at his thrown like the king he is.

"It shouldn't be too long now until the guests arrive, I'd suggest you get yourself fully ready." He motioned towards my tie which was missing and I nodded, heading back upstairs to my room.

.:Lenore's P.O.V:.

"I-I'm wearing that?" I asked staring the long red dress Jasmine held behind me in the mirror. I could see myself wearing it, it's silky fabric wrapping snugly around my body while the skirt flared slightly. It looked plain, not as over done as the dress that Nichol had put on me with all the sparkles and such. It didn't have any designs. I actually liked it...

"No, of course not. This is what I'm wearing." Jasmine laughed, throwing the dress back onto Seth's bed where she'd taken it out of it's bag. "You're going to wear this." She said as she rummaged around in the shopping bags she'd brought into the room after our 'snack'.
She turned around singing 'Ta-da' and held up the largest dress I've ever seen.

***

The sleeveless top of the long light blue dress was tightly wrapped around my chest and stomach and then it started pushing out from my hips. The skirt seemed to have thousands of layers. The first and bottom layer was a the same color as the dress, it's job was to make sure no one could see through the dress. The second layer was slightly see-through and blue as well. The third and top lay hooked with the top of the dress, it was also see-through to match the second layer but it was beaded with clear beads that kind of made it look like it have snow flakes laying in a pattern around the dress. I didn't like it as much as I liked the one Jasmine was wearing since it was all puffy like Nichol's but without the sparkles.

I looked myself up and down in the mirror, twisting and turning to see every angle of the dress I was wearing, I had to say, I did look... good.
"There! You look great!" Jasmine squealed in delight. She turned back towards the bed and began rummaging again. The empty bags flew into the air and flouted silently to the ground. I turned my head away from the bag that had just hit the floor and looked out the window. The thin white blanket of snow covered the blades of dead grass on the ground, covered the branches on the dead trees, covered everything around us. Everything died in this season; that's why I don't like it very much.
I never wanted to complain about the snow back at the willow tree since my best friend's mother was a snow pixie and would take it offensively. She always connected with the snow like it was her own child. Probably because, in some way, it was. She had helped created it with the queen and the other snow pixies. Why wouldn't she feel proud of her work?
I looked at the dead tree again; it was tilting to the side slightly, meaning that the wind must've been blowing fairly hard or it's just a weaker tree than most. I shrugged it off, of course there's going to be wind in the winter.

"Here it is!" Jasmine sighed, turning back towards the mirror holding up a long box that looked like it would be holding a twig. She smiled and told me to open it up, I did so.
Inside was a white cushion holding up a shiny silver string with a light blue rock in the middle. I didn't quite understand what this was for so I turned to Jasmine with a confused look on my face.
Without even having to ask Jasmine groaned, "I can't believe you don't even now what a necklace is!" She complained.
"Here." She said, getting between me and the mirror so she could be standing in front of me. She took the 'necklace' and held both ends in her hands, she wrapped it around my neck and hooked it in the back. "There!"

I looked into the mirror once again and saw it sparkle slightly. I liked it. "Thank you." I said.

"You're welcome. Your shoes are over by the door, I'll have to teach you to walk in them, though." She said, a grin playing at her face.

Before we worked on my walking in 'high heels', Jasmine got dressed into her long red dress and slipped on her necklace and shoes. She told me that when walking in high heels, it's going to feel like someone's trying to push you over every time you step forward. Which it did. I fell on my face a few time -being greeted with Jasmine girly laughter wasn't much of a help- but I thought I'd gotten it once I was able to walk around the room in them.
"Okay, I think you have it." Jasmine had said.

"Now, let's work on your make up." She smiled.
"Make up?" I asked, unknowingly.
"Yeah, make up. It's like drawing on your face but it makes you pretty." She replied.
"Oh..."
She sat in front of me in another chair and applied what she had called 'eyeliner', 'lipstick', 'blush', 'eyeshadow', and one I've forgotten what it was call. Mask-something, she had brushed my eyelashes with it. Then she did herself.
While she went on applying her make up, I looked into the mirror for the first time since I'd had it on and I gasped. I didn't even look like myself. The thin black layer around my eyes along with my black eyelashes made my eyes look bigger than they used to and the light pink paint Jasmine had spread across my lips added color to my pale white skin -as did the pink powder she'd brushed across my cheeks.-
I stared, amazed by the beauty of the stranger that stood before me. Who was this angel, and why had I never seen her before?

Then she began on my hair, again...
She didn't do much with it and it wasn't as painful as last time. She just brushed it slightly and sprayed it with this stuff from a can that smelled quite fowl if you ask me.
My hair didn't looked any different that it did before: long, blonde, straight. I guess it didn't work.
She told me that she'd done her hair already and she didn't need to again, her hair was pulled up into a curly bun, a few coils of hair falling by her face. She truly looked lovely.
As I admired her beauty there was a knock at the door, "Are you girls ready, yet? It's almost time to go." Seth's voice spoke from the other side of the wooden door.
Jasmine looked as if she were going to groan but then she smiled and took my hand, pulling me towards the door, "Seth! You have to see my work. It's amazing!" She beamed, opening the door and running out, dragging me behind her. Seth was in front of her while I stood behind her, hiding.

I hadn't felt this feeling before, I felt... embarrassed?

Jasmine stepped to the side and revealed my nervous posture as I tried to hide behind my arms, holding them in front on my chest. Seth only smiled and walked towards me, I looked down at the ground. Seth took his hand and grabbed my chin slightly, pulling my face up to meet his gaze. His dark blue eyes staring sincerely into my icy gray ones, "You look lovely." was all he said before turning around and walking towards the door. Jasmine followed him and I did her. Before we made it to the door, Jasmine turned towards me and smiled holding out a blue cloth. "You might need this." She said. The cloth had holes in it and she made me put my arms through them, I saw it now, it was a tiny jacket.
I smiled and nodded my thanks.

Once again, I got the pleasure of riding in Seth's 'car'. I had a blast watching the roads, trees, and house race by as he drove. I figured it would've been more fun if the window were open but Jasmine told me not to in fear of it ruining my hair. I watched as the houses began disappearing and being replaced by thousands of tress. I saw the sun setting behind the trees, it was almost night fall, we needed to get back. We weren't supposed to be out during dark because that's when creatures like to hunt. Oh wait, I'm with the creatures that like to hunt during the dark... What was going to happen?
Fortunately, nothing happened in the car as Seth pulled to a stop on the side of the road, a huge house, I mean HUGE, stood before us. Lights on the inside looked the whole front of the yard, I could hear something playing from the inside.
We walked silently towards the house and it was now that I wondered what I was doing here.
I looked towards Jasmine and asked, "Why are we here."
Jasmine just leaned towards me, not looking away from the large house and said, "It's a party a friend of Seth's is having." She said, leaving out a few details -I could tell-.

We were now in front of the large doors and before Seth got a chance to knock, they opened. The light from the inside lit up almost the whole front yard and I had to close my eyes for a second for my pupils to adjust. I looked around and there were tables, thousands of tables. Then I noticed a man. The man was tall and wearing a tux, he asked if he could take anything of ours and Seth smiled nodding slightly. He gestured to my little jacket and the man helped me take it off, then he draped it over his arm and just stood there. I didn't know what we was going to do with it after I left but I didn't really care. It wasn't mine.
We stepped inside and I heard an odd noise playing from one side of the room. It was moving to a rhythm and it sounded weird.
I looked around the brightly lit room and thought to myself...

So, this is a ball.