The Guardian Ball

It took the stylists and tailors 3 hours to get all of the Guardians ready for the ball. They weren't set to make an appearance until 30 minutes after the ball had started so they were waiting.

"We look good," Holt comments.

"Not gonna lie," Harry says. "I agree."

"Did it also take you guys 3 hours to get ready?" Brooke asks.

"Unfortunately," Ella sighs. "I think I'm too tired to do anything and we haven't even entered the ball yet.

Brooke's dress was white and the skirt was made of feathers. Ella's dress was blue with beads covering the top half. Holt wore a dark, emerald green suit with a white dress shirt. Harry wore a dark red suit with a black dress shirt.

"We will be announcing your presence, Guardians," a guard informs them.

"Ready?" Ella asks.

"Nope," Harry replies.

"Presenting the guardians!" The guard says into the ballroom.

The four guardians walked into the room, their shoulders back and their heads held high. As confident as they looked, they were freaking out on the inside. Ella held onto Harry's arm while Brooke held Holt's as they walked down the stairs. They could see everyone staring at their every move, waiting for a mistake.

"Guardians! So glad you could join us!" Emperor Arden walks towards them with a glass of champagne in his hand, Empress Iris beside him.

"We are honored to be here," Brooke says with a smile.

"Now that the guardians are here, I say we can start the ball off with the dance of the nations," Empress Iris announces.

All of the women in the room stand in two lines facing each other, Brooke and Ella at the beginning. The Dance of the Nations was created when the peace treaty was first signed between the four nations. The women bowed to each other and began the dance.

Harry and Holt sat in their seats at the dinner table and watched their friends. Ella and Brooke join them after the song ended, they were all sitting on the emperor's left. The music was put on hold while everyone sat down to eat, enjoying their own conversations.

"Guardian Ella," a voice interrupts Ella's conversation with Holt. "I have a question for you."

Ella looks over to see that it was Cheryl, sitting next to Prince Adam, that had spoken up.

"How can I help you, Cheryl?" Ella sets her fork down.

"Do you feel like you don't deserve your title?" Cheryl laughs before asking again. "I mean, we all know, Elijah would've been a better choice for a guardian. Don't you feel like you should give up your position as a guardian?"

Everyone was quiet. Nobody ever questioned a guardian because it meant questioning the Ellers. Questioning an Eller's choice wasn't punishable but the public shame was punishment enough.

"Are you questioning the Ellers, Cheryl?" Ella narrows her eyes. "I believe in the Ellers, they have always chosen the people they believed deserved to be a guardian. I don't doubt them, do you?"

Cheryl scoffs before standing up and walking out of the room, Prince Adam behind her. Princess Opal is the first to break the silence, by laughing.

"I like you already," Princess Opal takes a breath to calm down. "I've never liked her. Besides, she has no right to question the Ellers."

The guests continued their conversations for the remainder of the dinner. When it was time for the festivities to continue, the maids and butlers collected the dishes and quickly moved the table out of the room, making the already big room even bigger.

The music was fun and upbeat, allowing everyone to enjoy themselves. When a slow song started, the couples got together and began to sway. Preferring not to dance, the guardians stood at one of the high tables set around the room.

"Brooke," again, a voice interrupts the guardians' conversation.

"Axel?" Brooke asks.

Axel was the prince of Hell. If he was at the party it meant his family and the other royal families had just arrived.

Axel had his arm held out with his palm facing up. "May I have this dance?"

Brooke looks at Ella before taking his hand and walking out with him. He pulls her close to him, his hand on the middle of her back, and starts to move along to the music.

"What was that look?" Holt asks. "You guys always do that thing. You look at each other before doing something that ends up being dangerous."

"It's our way saying," Ella stops to think. "Watch me, this could be trouble."

"Why would Axel bring trouble?" Harry asks.

"He doesn't exactly give off good vibes," Ella explains. Harry shrugs while Ella continues to watch her friend.

"You wanna tell me why Ella is watching me like a hawk?" Axel asks Brooke.

"You wanna tell me what you want?" Brooke asks back.

"I'm warning you," Axel says. "Someone is going to do something, something bad. I'm telling you so you can tell your friends and be prepared to protect everyone like you're supposed to."

"Do you know who? Or what they're going to do?" Brooke asks.

"All I know is that some people outside were talking about attacking at 8:30," Axel says.

"That's in 10 minutes," Brooke looks at him before walking off toward her friends, Axel following behind.

"Is something wrong?" Ella asks.

"Someone is about to attack in 10 minutes," Brooke whispers.

"How do you know?" Harry asks.

"I heard people talking outside," Axel says. "It could've been a poor choice of words and they're actually planning a surprise gift for all of you but it can't hurt to be ready."

"We should let the emperor know," Holt suggests.

They first turn to Emperor Arden but his inability to lower his voice told them they needed another option.

"King Irving," Ella says. "He's here, and he always has a bunch of guards with him."

Ella's friends agree to have her talk to the Merfolk King. She walks over to him and greets the royal family of Oceana.

"King Irving, Prince Elijah, if I could have a word," Ella walks a few steps away from everyone else before speaking.

"I have been informed that someone is going to attack soon. I don't know if there will be a thank you surprise for us or if someone is going to get hurt but I would prefer to be safe. Would you be able to set your guards around the room?" Ella asks.

"Of course I can," King Irving says. "What would you like them to look for?"

"Anyone that seems like they're getting ready to do something. Don't have them attack unless they see something that could harm the people in the room," Ella says.

King Irving walks to his head guard and explains what's happening.

"Who told you that someone was going to attack?" Elijah asks.

"Axel," Ella answers shortly.

"Are you mad at me?" Elijah questions.

"Do my feelings toward you really matter right now?" Ella asks. She sighs in frustration after Elijah gives her a 'duh' face. "No, I'm not mad at you. I'm worried someone's gonna get hurt."

"Everyone's gonna be fi-" Elijah gets cut off by a scream from inside the room.

Elijah and Ella run into the ballroom to see Cheryl on the floor, a knife in her stomach. They immediately run towards her, Ella kneeling down next to her.

"Cheryl, who did this?" Ella rips a strand of fabric off her dress and presses it against her stomach.

"I don't know, I didn't see their face," Cheryl cries out and grabs Prince Adam's arm.

"Help her!" Prince Adam yells in response.

"Shouting at me won't do anything!" Ella shouts back.

"Ok, Cheryl, I'm gonna try to heal your cut," Ella tells her.

"Have you ever healed someone before," Cheryl asks in a harsh tone.

"No," Ella tells her.

Ella pulls the water from the plants in the room and covers the cut. Cheryl winces in pain, panting even harder than before. Ella closes her eyes to concentrate, she feels the cut starting to close. She was healing the cut, something she had never learned to do before.

Prince Adam and Ella hold Cheryl's arms as she tries to stand up. Adam takes her to her room with the royal doctor following them. Everyone starts to clap, causing Ella to look around confused.

"Guardian! Guardian!" Cheryl's mother holds Ella's hand. "Thank you for saving our daughter."

"Of course, that's what I'm here for," Ella smiles.

"I apologize for her rude behavior earlier," Cheryl's mother looks down in shame.

"It's ok," Ella reassures her. "I didn't take it personally."

Cheryl's parents go to their daughter and Empress Iris informs the guests that the party is over. Everybody leaves, including the guardians. Ella walks into her room with Brooke, both of them falling on the large bed in the room.

"You saved Cheryl," Brook points out.

"I did," Ella agrees.

"You hated it didn't you," Brooke tilts her head towards Ella, still looking at the ceiling.

"Oh, yeah," Ella says. "But, that's what I have to do now. Even if I hate someone, it's my job to protect them."

"And that's why you're a guardian," Brook smiles.

"Go to sleep," Ella closes her eyes, trying to fall asleep.

Brook closes her eyes as well. Neither of them knowing what the future may hold.