Star Ball Pt. 1

Violet rolled her eyes.

"Pout all you want, this is a necessity and no conjecture will save you from my grasp."

Violet looked to her blonde friend, Alex was in a particularly good mood and in a bizarre turn of events, her mood had led to Violet being dragged out of bed at seven in the morning.

"How is getting an all over death massage a necessity?" Violet mumbled from beside Alex.

Alex had appeared like the sun, dragged Violet out of bed, out of the school, and driven them an hour and a half to a holistic rejuvenating center. A frazzled Violet had been tossed into a mud bath, washed vigorously, and then placed on a cot next to Alex for the center's star massage.

It seemed like a death massage, the masseuse attending to Violet was digging so hard into her back she might as well just break it.

Alex scoffed, "We are getting ready for a ball Violet, this is a woman's secret battlefield. We will take them by storm. Not to mention, we deserve the spoils, have to make them drool Violet, drool."

Violet rolled her eyes again, as of it late she had rolled them so much she was in danger of permanently losing them to the back of her head.

"You need to relax!" The masseuse, Lynn, dug into Violet's shoulders, "you are much to stiff! A pretty girl like you needs to let her stresses go, this is not how you keep men pleased."

Violet opened her mouth to retort when Alex cut in, a wide grin on her face, "take it easy on her Lynn, Violet here is attending a very prestigious ball with me tonight, she's a little nervous." Lynn's face lit up with a sudden passionate flame, "I will make sure they see you my darling, they will fall for you instantly!"

Violet closed her eyes as Alex laughed, this was going to be a long morning.

After a couple of hours, and many more services, Violet and Alex finally left.

"Now listen Vee, I know this is a daunting approach, and the company.... well just stick to James and maybe stay away from Julie?... and..." her voice died before re-emerging at a extremely low level, "and..."

"Away from Kieren?" Violet cast a surprised look over to Alex, "that's an unusual request from you."

Alex looked consternated for a moment, "Violet, we... the five of us, we see no issue with you, but the people there tonight... they might, I would hate for them to make your life harder."

Violet looked at her truly confused, there was something suspicious at work here.

"Speak openly Alex, I have no idea what you're so concerned about." Alex looked over frowning visibly, "Violet, have you not been paying any attention to the news about the ball?"

Violet ran her hand through her hair as she shrugged, "Kieren's mom Violet, my parents, Julie's parents, the twins, the list goes on and on and on... they're all attending, it's a tradition." Alex looked over worriedly before continuing, "and they all may or may not have heard about how you beat Julie into a pulp."

Violet groaned and closed her eyes, she leaned against the seat and pinched the bridge of her nose. What a fucking disaster. Just the people she wanted to be around.

She laughed dryly and shook her head, her tone laced with sarcasm she murmured to Alex, "Well, if there's one positive to my lukewarm personality, I'd have to be my ability to not give a shit. I will steer clear of them all. You have my word."

Violet looked to her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips. She looked stunning, for the first time in months, possibly years, she was dressed up. Properly, righteously, not hidden beneath a disguise, her real persona was bare. Makeup, hair, nail polish, the black gown that hugged her in all the right places with duel slits along her legs for easy movement. All of it was so beautiful, and so superficial, it was a far away dream she had never stopped to consider. The possibility of being excited over something so trivial and normal escaped her, and though she looked ready for the event, the conversation with Alex earlier placed tonight's event very low on her engagement bar.

"Hey Violet, James is here for you.!"

Violet grimaced into the mirror one last time before calling out to Aiko, "coming, thanks!"

The enormous banquet hall had been redecorated so tastefully, and extravagantly, that even the students were astounded as they entered. The coordinators had selected white and gold as the main colors, with the only pop of color coming from the intricate artworks created in pure red roses. The dance floor has been set in the center, a vintage rope braided in roses closed off the area in preparation. The rest of the area was filled with elegant sets of tables and chairs, pointing to the back of the hall where several tables sat on a raised platform observing from above.

It was there that the honored guests, Ruenen Lords, and their ass kissers sat waiting as the students began arriving.

Amongst the nobility, there had been talk of a certain girl, the one who has been brazen enough to attack a Hao. They were prepared, and expecting to find Violet distasteful, a commoner lacking all propriety. They were in no way predisposed for the striking beauty that entered with such grace at the arm of her companion.

"She ... is Zaraa?"

Anastasia Zordyk, Kieren's mother sat watching the girl, her companions whispers and glances faded from her mind as she truly looked at... Violet... that was the name of the girl. She certainly looked the part, bright, beautiful, soft, everything a well rounded healer should be.

She was surprised by the rumors, until Violet turned around and for the briefest of moments their gazes connected.

Anastasia smiled, the girl was dangerous. Beneath the shimmering gray orbs lay a vast tumultuous ocean, cursed with undying grief, rage, and intelligence. It made perfect sense as to why Kieren wanted her around, her son had always retained a knack for discovering and taming unimaginable power. The girl was certain to be a challenge, and speaking of her son.

The breathless gasps that echoed in the room drew her attention as her son entered the room being clutched at by Ms. Hao.

Ms. Zordyk smiled lightly, his face was warm and shining with regality, but she knew, he was not pleased.

Kieren's too attractive features seemed enhanced, magnetically drawing in all who caught a glimpse. Julie had selected gold as their color and in tonight's venue, the party seemed to center around the pair.

Kieren led Julie to the center, it was customary that a Zordyk lead the first dance, and thus commenced the event. Julie gripped onto him with such zeal, a look of maddening superiority on her face, that he fought the urge to rip her arms from his torso. A feeling of slight trepidation overtook him, and well aware that he shouldn't, he cast a look over to Violet. While his face remained passive his heart jolted, and as their gazes connected an inexplicable yearning filled him. How was it possible for her to be so enthralling?

Kieren forced himself to look away and with careful moves began the dance.

Anastasia frowned momentarily from her seat, for just a millisecond, she had seen a crack in her son's normally stoic expression. Those crystalline blue eyes that had always looked at her calmly, had lost themselves in a whirl of emotions, strong and uncertain.

She once again cast her eyes over Violet, while everyone in the hall was currently watching Kieren dance in awe, the girl was lost in thought, looking past the dance, and clearly focusing on anything but the pair.

Anastasia brought her hand up to her chin, perhaps she would have to speak with the girl, after all her son seemed quite taken with her.