Another event to attend, wearing this uncomfortable suit. And this was just one of many. It would go on for weeks until the selection. I didn't want to think about that. It was still something I could ignore for now, I knew my time was running out but the less I thought about it the further away it seemed. At least that was how I chose to see it.

"Brother, relax, don't stand so rigid like your about to go into battle." Aeris says, slapping my shoulder with a smile on his face. There was always some kind of smile on his face, most of the time it wasn't a happy or kind one.

"If going into battle meant I didn't have to wear this, then I would gladly go." I return, pulling at the collar of my jacket.

Aeris laughs, grabbing my shoulders and jostling me slightly.

"Now now Dem, we must all play our part and look like the Princes we are, we can't always walk around in our fighting leathers scaring everyone away." Aeris teases as he is prone to do. I only smile at him then attempt to ruffle his hair but he ducks away quickly, stepping out of my reach.

"Speaking of scaring everyone away, have you found anymore hiding humans?" Alvaryn asks Aeris, coming to stand with us.

"Luckily no, though I did spend a few hours with someone far more interesting last night, and this morning." He answers with his mischievous grin. Alvaryn only smiles and shakes his head.

Aeris would always be hard to reign in, over the years his escapades had gotten him into more trouble than both Alvaryn and I combined, but it never made him change his ways. I wasn't sure if it had something to do with being the youngest, mother was particularly affectionate to him, he had been born with her white blonde hair which I think endeared him to her a little more. Or maybe it was knowing he would be her last child.

He had always been wild and wilful, I remember the nannies chasing him around the palace hallways or listening to him screaming for something he wanted but wasn't allowed.

I had hoped taking him into battle might help straighten him out a little, make him see a different side to being a Prince, to being in his position of power. He had never been a shy or reluctant like Alvaryn had to wielding a sword or cutting down his enemy, he had thrived in it for the most part. Coming back covered in blood and a certain wild gleam in his eye after winning a battle. If anything it gave him an outlet, a way to express that wildness within him.

Alvaryn was a different beast altogether, he didn't disapprove of fighting or war, he just knew that his strongest gift wasn't in his fighting, it was his mind. He had a mind for strategy and tactics like no other, with the amount of books he read and studied it was easy to see why.

"Do you think father would mind if I disappear a little early?" Aeris asks looking around as the servants finish setting up.

"Yes." Alvaryn and I answer at the same time.

"Well, I guess only time will tell." Aeris smiles, always confident he can get away with anything. And I suppose for the most part he does. He was never really punished for anything he did, father would yell at him and tell him how disappointed he was, then he would be told to not leave the palace ground for a certain amount of time which wouldn't really stop him from misbehaving and he would normally only last a few days before he broke those rules as well, then it would happen all over again.

"Maybe try and not give our father an aneurysm today and just stay until the end. And speaking of father, I suppose that means that we will all have to actually engage with the girls today." Alvaryn suggests, eyes scanning as they make their way out to the garden.

We stand and watch as the Lords and the few Ladies fill up the garden space as well, father and mother join us at their podium.

Mother smiles at each of us before taking her seat beside our father.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to our garden party, we are honoured to have you as our guests and hope you enjoy yourselves." My father says before waving his hand and the music starts playing.

I take a deep breath, eyes scanning the fae as they begin chatting to one another, the Lords moving towards the human women like moths to a flame.

"See, that one there, she is still hiding somewhat," Aeris says trying to point subtly at one of the human girls. "With the brown hair and blue dress." Aeris says so only we will here.

I find the girl he is watching now, she stands near the tables, eyes wary like they are avoiding the oncoming Lords, she even takes a step back turning to find the Mistress watching her closely.

"I spoke to her as well." Alvaryn says quietly as Aeris reaches for a glass of wine as it passes by.

"When?" He asks.

"Yesterday, she was in the library."

"Hiding again, I think I'm seeing a pattern." Aeris smiles to himself.

"Can you blame her?" I ask, thinking out loud. "Imagine being taken from her home and being bought to a strange new kingdom you've only ever heard about then being told you're going to marry one of these strangers in a matter of months, I would probably hide as well."

"No you wouldn't, you'd find the nearest weapon or make yourself one and fight your way out." Aeris snorts.

"Well I doubt she is going to do that." I mutter, watching as she edges away from the Mistress, holding her hands in front of her.

"What did I tell you about the eyes though?" Aeris asks Alvaryn, nudging him in the arm.

"Memorable to be sure." He answers with a nod. Now I'm wondering what I'm missing out on.

"What's her name then?" I ask, still watching her.

"Not sure, I didn't ask." Alvaryn answers with a shrug. Of course he didn't. I wonder what made him speak to her at all, and what they had spoken about.

"Alright, I suppose one of us is going to have to start." I say before making my way towards the other fae as they talk in small groups.

I didn't really give myself time to think about what I was doing as I make my way towards the girl my brothers had both already met.

"Hello." I say, stepping up to her, she looks up at me with wide eyes, and yes they were bright blue, just like sapphires but the fear distracts me from noticing the colour for too long.

She curtsies and forces a smile.

"Hello Your Highness."

"I'm Prince Demwyn." I say, holding my hand out.

She looks at it with uncertainty and I wonder what she could be possibly uncertain about a handshake.

She smiles tightly, taking my hand.

"I'm Daella."

"You've already met both my brothers." I begin and she looks up at me like she is in trouble then forces another smile, looking over my shoulder quickly, no doubt looking at both of them.

"Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting your brothers already."

I can't help but smile at her answer, overly polite, she continues to grip her hands in front of her, afraid. It was different sensing that fear from a female though. I was used to smelling it on other males, enemies, but never in this position.

"Do I scare you?" I ask watching as her eyes widen again, I can almost see her mind ticking away as it tries to come up with the correct answer.

"No Your Highness, you do not scare me." A touch of defiance in her voice and body language.

"It's just Demwyn," I correct her and she nods quickly. "If I don't scare you then why can I smell fear coming from you?"

She looks around slightly, more fear radiates around her.

"You can smell it?" She asks in almost a whisper, I smile again and nod.

"It's one of the emotions fae can sense and scent."

"What other ones can you scent?"

"Most emotions, if they are strong enough and aren't meddled with other emotions. Humans in particular have strong emotions making them easier to scent." I answer.

"I didn't know that." She replies looking down at her feet.

"Well if this is your first time being around fae them I'm not surprised, humans wouldn't know much about us at all."

She shakes her head. "No, we aren't really told much about your kind." I scent a hint of anger wrapping around her, interesting.

"So what are you afraid of, standing all the way over here by yourself?" I ask again, not sure why I want to know.

She looks up and around, noticing the other human girls with the Lords, my brothers are even among them, talking and smiling.

"It's a little safer over here, away from," She stops herself, her eyes lingering on the other fae.

"The other fae?" I guess and she nods.

"I shouldn't have said anything." She says quickly.

"It's alright, I won't say anything. If you like we could take a walk instead?" I ask, then stop and wonder why I just asked her to take a walk?

"A walk?" She questions.

"Just around the gardens, we wouldn't go far." I assure her, I guess it would get me out of speaking to everyone else as well.

"If that is what you wish Your- Prince Demwyn." She curtsies again and I put my hand at her elbow and guide her away from the party.

I notice my brothers watching me, one with a questioning expression, the other with a smug smile. I would be lying if I said it wasn't their both having already spoke to the girl that made me come up and speak to her. We have always had a brotherly rivalry, but now walking beside her I'm not sure what to talk about. What had my brothers talked to her about?

"Do you have magic?" She asks quite randomly while watching the ground and surprising me with her question. "Sorry, that's probably rude to ask."

"It isn't rude to ask, and yes, I have magic." I answer, noticing the guards stationed around the gardens.

"What kind of magic do you have?"

"I can manipulate air." I answer.

"Truly?"

I lift my right hand, twisting my fingers as a small breeze picks up some leaves and I twist them in front of her before letting them drop to the ground. She stares at them with shock and amazement. She quickly schools her expression.

"I've never seen magic, well except when they collected me, but I don't really remember seeing it exactly, more feeling it when he touched my wrist and then I woke up here." Her words stumble out of her mouth quickly, one after the other before she quickly closes her mouth, another flurry of anger wraps around her.

We walk in silence for a while longer. "Do all fae have magic?"

"No."

We continue walking in silence and I notice her scent of fear is gone.

"Why are you more afraid of the High Lords then of me?" I ask, always finding it best to be direct.

She looks up at me then at her feet again.

"I'm not scared of the High Lords, more of what they mean." She answers quickly.

"And by what they mean I gather your talking about the selection?"

She nods stiffly.

"But you know me and my brothers are part of the selection this offering."

"Yes but none of you would choose me." She almost laughs and I tilt my head.

"Why not?"

"Because I would be the worst choice." She answers like it is obvious. "There are twelve of us and I am at the very bottom of the list."

"Why would you believe that?"

"Spend enough time around each of us and it becomes very clear."

"So you're not scared of me, or my brothers, the Princes of our Kingdom because you believe we wouldn't choose you to be our bride." I ask, stopping and looking down at her. She looks up at me with wide eyes, a touch of defensiveness in her expression.

"I didn't mean to offend you or the Princes. I just know I wouldn't make a very good bride, and you would be better off choosing one of the other girls, Hannah is beautiful and always happy, or Lillith, or Elsie even." She continues to stammer on.

"You're not in trouble, I just wanted to know what you meant."

She nods stiffly, looking at one of the flowers next to her.

"We should probably get back to the party before they come looking for us." I suggest turning and leading the way back.

This human girl is definitely not what I was expecting her to be, though I wasn't sure what I expected as not having much to do with human women in general but I figured they wouldn't be much different from fae women.

But I had never met a fae woman who wasn't trying to seduce me or bed me or convince me she wasn't worth my time. They always smiled too much I found and spoke in round about ways instead of being more direct.

Daella was so sure that neither I or my brothers would choose her that she wasn't scared of us, instead she was scared of the High Lords as they prattled on talking about themselves and all their accomplishments would likely amount to little. Only a few of them were in the army and went to battle with us. The others just stayed at home claiming to protect the Kingdom and their families while still carrying around swords they couldn't use properly.

We reach the rest of the party, I notice my father and mother sitting on their small podium watching the party and smiling.

I quickly find Aeris still with a glass of wine in his hands and speaking to two of the human women, Alvaryn was close by, in a group with two of his friends and three human women.

"Thank you for the walk Prince Demwyn," Daella says curtsying in front of me, bringing me out of my thoughts. "I will leave you to enjoy the party." With that she turns and walks towards the other guests, edging around the side while still part of the group.

I notice Saevel getting her attention and she stops and curtsies with a smile on her face.

What an unusual woman. She clearly didn't want to be here, but she had no real choice in the matter, and like I had told my brothers, I didn't blame her. Still she planted a smile on her face and acted the willing offering to the other guests.

I wondered if she realised it wouldn't really matter what she believed about being selected, at the end of the day one of the males would choose her, even if there weren't enough high lords the chosen would then be offered to the lower lords. There would be no escaping it.

A heavy sigh escapes my lips.

There is no escaping it.

I would have to choose one of them and soon.