Sparks to Ignite

 "Who would've thought I'd be so glad to see a familiar face?" Lex couldn't help but to add in some humor to lighten the mood.

 The princess stood there in utter shock, silently hoping that her eyes were simply playing tricks.

 Kaari cartoonishly shook her head before she looked at Lex yet again only for it to bear the same outcome, much to her dismay.

 "Y-You!" Kaari clutched her chest in response to the unexpected face. "W-What are you doing here?"

 "Am I not supposed to be here, Princess?" Lex couldn't help but be amused by the princess' unforeseen boldness. "That is quite an awful thing to say, wouldn't you think?"

 "F-Forgive my tone, Your Highness. I was just surprised to see a familiar face..." Lex noted how Kaari's face reddened with embarrassment, who was silently cursing herself for being so careless.

 "No offense was taken at all, Princess." Lex quickly cleared up the misunderstanding with a carefree smile. "But to answer your question, well, let's just say that I'm here as damage control, to make sure that the royal emperor of Toyah is not too offended. The entire Circle wouldn't leave me alone unless I had agreed to show up to this sea party."

 "After all, it'll only be more problems for Stygia if we were to upset Toyah in the midst of our current complications."

 "I... I see." She managed a hesitant answer, averting her gaze from Lex's alluring eyes. 

 "Were you hoping that I ignored you?" He asked, noticing her expression falter slightly before she quickly regained composure. "I thought you'd be as glad as I was to see you amidst this suffocating crowd. What kind of princess seems so defeated when a dashing prince is standing right in front of her?"

 "Well, my life would definitely be much easier if you had just considered me a ghost." She muttered quietly under her breath.

 "You know, I can still hear you perfectly, even when you whisper like that." 

Kaari was caught off guard by his approachable demeanor when he chose to smile, and for some reason, she found herself staring until he noticed.

 "I would've appreciated it if you had just ignored my existence..." She said in a nervous whisper, her tender voice swallowed whole by the festive music of the ball. "It's almost unheard of for a royal Roseabelle like yourself to be talking to a mere human like me."

Her reply appeared self-deprecating to Lex, an unexpected demeanor for a princess who, through the Roseabelle's perspective, had garnered the interest of many. 

"Only a heartless monster would let such a dejected-looking creature all alone in the middle of a ball. I figured perhaps my presence would brighten up your spirits but alas, I am being reprimanded for choosing to act out of kindness." Lex attempted to taunt the princess, letting his playfulness out in full display. "You just looked like you needed someone to save you."

 "... I beg your pardon?"

 "I don't think I need to repeat myself, Princess. You were going to bore a hole into the dance floor with by way you were staring at it with such desperation-" 

 His words were cut off by the softness of Kaari's laugh that complimented the gentleness of Kaari's demeanor. This was the first time someone had laughed at him, and he could only stand there, completely frozen in place. He couldn't help but find it endearing somehow.

 "Please forgive me for my rudeness, Your Highness." Her bashful hand covered her face as she struggled to speak through her laughing feat. "However, I believe the one that truly needs saving is none other than yourself."

 "So, you saw the entire interaction..." Lex said dejectedly, disliking the fact that the human saw what he had to deal with. "Then, you should already be aware that I am rather desperate at the moment. Why don't you show me some pity and just play along, Princess?"

 "I'm afraid they'll only see me as a laughingstock. How could I ever be of competition to a Roseabelle? And of high rank status, no less." 

 'Of all the things you could worry about; this was your first thought?' He thought as he scoffed in disbelief, taken aback by the human's innocence. 

 "... I don't see anything wrong with helping one other out during trying times, even if you may consider yourself of lesser value. You'd be lying too if you claimed that everything was alright on your part, am I wrong?"

 Kaari's lost expression coupled with the awkward silence between them was too much to bear for Lex before he attempted to explain what he meant to say.

"Only an idiot wouldn't have noticed how desperate you looked watching the hopeless lovebirds dance to their heart's content." Lex held out his hand for Kaari to take. "I am simply giving you the chance to fulfill your wishes."

 "So, it's out of pity that you ask for my hand to the dance?" Kaari said almost disappointedly, her hand faltering just when it was so close to accepting Lex's offer. "You do think rather poorly of me, don't you?"

 "Whatever nonsense you're spouting is a waste of precious air, my dear." Lex sighed, beginning to grow irritated by her needless questions. "It is merely just a dance. Why should it matter if it was out of pity, curiosity, or even lust?" 

 "I'm simply proposing an offer that will benefit the both of us. You get to dance with a handsome and powerful immortal that everyone in this room is dying to fuck, while I get to stay away from those hungry Roseabelles." 

 "... First dances in large events such as this shouldn't be taken so lightly, Your Highness." Kaari spoke tentatively, aware that a single misplaced word might provoke the Kaxarene prince. "And besides, it will do you no good to be seen with me in public. In fact, that is exactly how you make enemies with strangers and make your life harder than it already is." 

 "Enemies, you say?" Lex said with a scoff, finding Kaari's description humorous. "I don't know what your opinion of me may be but, I can assure you that nobody in this realm has the gall to go against me... except my sister, of course."

Lex confidence was almost admirable to Kaari, and for once she understood what made these ancient entities so captivating to lowly mortals like herself.

 "I... I barely know anything about you."

 She tried to put some distance between him and her by taking a step backwards, but Lex would always fill in the gap she created each time. 

 "But I know your name, don't I?" Lex leaned down to look at her directly, which caused her to look away, flustered. "Shouldn't that suffice as my reason to ask you to the dance? It's not like I'm asking you for your hand in marriage, right Princess Kaari?"

 "T-That's not what I meant-"

 "Fine then, I'll be a gentleman and let you choose your fate." Lex's hand reached for Kaari's, holding it gently despite his initial impression. "Though I'm quite confident that I'm the better option in this banquet full of perverts waiting for a chance to pounce on a naive little girl like you."

 "What- What are you doing?!" She tried to break free from his gentle yet firm grasp, but she was far too weak.

 Kaari looked around, visibly distraught by the unexpected predicament, her cheeks flushed by the many eyes that continued to watch the interaction happen.

 'H-How is this giving me the choice to choose?!' She wanted to yell out but restrained herself from doing so.

 She had finally decided to commit the rest of her life living under the authority of Varen, and the watchful eyes of the immortals that despised her kind so much.

Now she found herself face to face with a powerful royal prince that just wouldn't leave her alone.

A million thoughts crossed her mind and as Lex continued to stare at her with his large hand outstretched, she couldn't help but feel intrigued.

 "... A-Alright, I suppose... it wouldn't hurt to accept." She finally looked up to hold Lex's confident gaze, nervous yet excited for whatever that was to come next. She could've sworn that she saw something shift in Lex's green eyes, as if he too was just as excited as her.

 "Finally, an answer I wanted to hear." His pretty smile taking Kaari's attention yet again. "Now, all you have to do is trust me and follow my lead."

 The whispers surrounding her only seemed to grow louder as they got closer to the middle, with Lex leading the way with the confidence that Kaari could only hope she had. She noticed the envious glares and curious whispers that came their way, and with every step she took forward she could feel her already inferior confidence grow even smaller.

 "Hold yourself high, princess." Lex's gentle whisper brought her back from her overwhelming thoughts. Her attention quickly shifted to his large hands gently tugging her closer from her waist. "With all these eyes on us, we should try our best not to embarrass ourselves, wouldn't you agree?" 

 For some reason, she felt oddly relieved by the Roseabelle's unrelenting charisma, as if his confidence was starting to rub off on her. She felt her heartbeat quicken with anticipation with every passing moment, and being so close to an attractive nobleman only made matters worse. 

 "Has the nerves finally gotten to you?" Lex practically read her mind, amused by how anxious the human appeared.

 "Rest assured, as long as you're with me, no harm will come your way. So, dance to your heart's content, and I will keep my end of the deal."