My back was tense as the ride to the capital continued. I tried not to think about what we were planning on doing as we got closer and closer to our destination.

My heart was pounding in my ears and I wondered if I might be sick from the tension that held my entire body. I took a deep breath, or, at least, I tried to take a deep breath. It felt like there was a massive weight on my chest.

"Are you ok?" I jump a little at the sound of Seth's voice. "Your hands are shaking. Is everything alright?" He placed a rough hand over my hands that were clutching my light blue skirt.

"I'm nervous." I breathed out the words as my body started to relax back into him. "I'm also a bit upset."

"What's upsetting you?" He rests his chin on the top of my head, an action he does often yet it never fails to warm my heart and give me this old sense of familiarity.

"I finally get to go to the capital but instead of going to balls and sightseeing, I am going to go face off with a king and save a family of witches and attempt to stop witch hunting."

"I forgot that you never got to go to any balls." He purred and an image of a ballroom lit with golden lights and full of gorgeous men and women in brightly colored dresses and masks filled my mind. "I wish you had gotten to experience it at least once."

"Have you?"

"I have only ever stood guard at an event like that." He whispered, his breath pushing my strands of hair.

"What are they like?" I asked as I leaned back into his chest and he wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Well, normally, wealthy men will throw them for their daughters when they come of age so that they can meet with suitors and build connections with other women of a high standing. Still, the woman that the ball is held for is typically the most stunning in the room, she stands out in a crowd of hundreds."

"Wow..." I sighed as I tried to picture that.

"But that doesn't mean that the other women were shabby. Their dresses were outrageously expensive but stunning. They would dance with all manner of people, men and women alike to a variety of music that was played by the people on the corner stage." I was in awe as a picture came to the forefront of my mind of people spinning and dancing to crystal clear music. "They showed off their riches but also let themselves enjoy the evening with those they were close with and sometimes those they normally didn't get along with."

"I wish I had been able to experience at least one." I said as Seth placed a soft kiss on my shoulder even though it was covered by the fabric of my dress.

"I bet you would have been the most gorgeous woman in the room, even if the ball wasn't being held for you." I giggled a little at his words.

"Wouldn't that confuse people on who the ball is being held for? Or would that just make the suitors line up for me and give me more options?" I chuckled softly.

"Nope because I will steal you away into the night and we will dance in a garden like a forbidden romance." A shiver ran up my spine but I ignored it as my smile grew.

"Will we dance under the full moon and share forbidden kisses behind the branches of trees, hidden by the darkness of the night?" I tilted my head back to look at him.

He gave me his lopsided grin. "Of course we will." He placed a kiss on the top of my head. "However," his tone turned serious as he looked forward again, "that will have to wait until later, my butterfly." I looked forward, the path we were on turns to a paved road and the trees providing us shade and shelter disappeared in mere feet...

Replaced by the capital and the shining palace that cast a shadow as far as I could see.