As the night progressed, Isabella spent more time learning about her three companions. Klause enthralled her with tales of the Lilo Vilkros Clan. She learned that great value is placed on the family unit to support the young men when they begin transforming at the young age of fourteen. Isabella discovered that some of her conceptions of them as raging beasts were only myths. When morphed into wolves that they are still capable of cognitive awareness and retain reason and intellect. Klause explained the Lilo Clan believes Mother Nature created the Vilkros as guardians over the fauna, the flora and the mortals. Isabella realized her notions of them as unthinking killing machines were incorrect.

Isabella paid attention as Brianna explained her upbringing with Virgil and how she met Edward and changed him for them to be together. The curly brunette described how she and her husband were raising two mortal boys as their own children. She observed and admired the love the two of them felt for each other and their family. Isabella inquired if they would rebirth the boys as vampires at an older age. Changing children was strictly forbidden. Brianna described they would leave the decision up to the boys as Edward stated he wished his children to live a full life as mortals before making such a life altering choice.

Isabella had to admit that loneliness crept into her heart when hearing about each person stating how important family was to them. She was the forgotten child and did not experience a happy family unit. Whether her parents were exhausted after raising four boys or only placed value in male offspring, Isabella felt forgotten. At times, she wondered if she was invisible. The benefit was she could come and go as she pleased, and she enjoyed spending her time in the grasslands and the woodlands. Since childhood, she dreamed of marrying into a loving family with a husband who cherished her. A relationship comparable to the couple of Brianna and Edward.

She sorrowfully looked out at the ballroom towards her husband Nathanial. As usual he was surrounded by a group of thin framed men with a redhead cozied up to him. Isabella bumped Brianna and asked her. “Who is that?” She sized up the long-haired redhead touching Nathanial’s chest. “Oh, that is Jennifer.” Isabella raised her shoulders to indicate she did not understand. Brianna folded her hands in her lap as she spoke. “That is Nathanial’s paramour. His mistress.” Isabella watched as the long-haired woman openly laughed out loud at whatever was spoken. She sighed now knowing her husband had a lover and an attractive one as well.

Isabella felt she could not compare to the vivacious redhead with her dark black hair and her naturally pale complexion. Her hopes for having a loving marriage went up in flames. She knew her marriage was a political manoeuvre, but Isabella felt the sting of disappointment. Brianna bumped Isabella’s arm and whispered to her. “Do not get down as there has been a handsome man over there that has not taken his eyes off you.” Isabella followed Brianna’s eyes to see Samuel standing alongside a wall across the ballroom. She smiled recalling the reason why she wanted to attend the ball in the first place. For a chance to spend more time with him.

“Go over to him.” Brianna nudged Isabella again with a grin on her face. Isabella stood up and ran her hands down her dress to smooth out any wrinkles. She regained her strength from earlier that evening when Klause had saved her. But she felt a ripple of nerves run through her body as she glanced at Brianna for encouragement. The brunette woman stated to her. “Go ahead, you will be fine.” She waved at her companion and began walking across the ballroom towards Samuel. Isabella carefully placed one foot in front of another as she crossed the hall. As she weaved her way through the crowd, men and women moved to the sides.

She was halfway across the ballroom when she felt the sensation of being watched. Turning her head, she noticed Nathanial watching her with his redhead still snuggled up to him. Isabella not wanting to lose her courage turned her attention back to Samuel standing alongside the wall. She met eye contact with his hazel eyes as he began approaching her. On the outskirts of the dance floor they met as she admired his dark suit with a blue sash falling across his chest. Isabella pushed back a few strands of hair off her face and felt the familiar stir of butterflies in her stomach. Smiling up at him, she gave a nervous laugh before she spoke. “Hello Samuel.”

“Hello Isabella.” He answered her. She was thankful he did not use the overpolite term of ma’am when addressing her. Isabella observed the beautiful mix of colors in his hazel eyes. Awkward silence filled the air as each one smiled at the other. Samuel asked her. “Did you want to take a walk and get some air?” Isabella eager to get away from prying eyes replied to him. “Yes, it is quite stuffy in here. I would love some air.” Samuel held his arm out for her and with shaking hands clasped his arm. Together they strolled through the members of the royal court to a set of French doors exiting onto a grey stone patio.

As he opened the doors, she thanked him amazed by his impeccable manners. Isabella breathed in relishing the cool night air as she stepped onto the stone slab. Samuel closed the doors behind them and shuffled out of his coat and placed it on her shoulders. Isabella could not recall a time where someone had been so thoughtful to her. She was accustomed to men and women being gruff with her presence. “This is so much better.” Isabella stated. “Inside the ballroom it was becoming humid and the air quite stale.” She moved further away from the French doors onto the small balcony noticing the descending stairs on each side.

“I saw your presentation earlier tonight. It was quite impressive.” Samuel explained to her as they approached the balcony railings. Curving his back, he rested his arms on the railing. Isabella afraid of shrugging his jacket on the floor, pulled it further onto her shoulders. “Thank you. I felt put on the spot to show some magic, and I could only think of changing how the candles glow. My magic is finnicky at times. Sometimes, I never know how my magic could manifest as I have only practiced it in the woods alone. Part of me hoped that I did not set the whole ballroom on fire.” She laughed followed by Samuel.

He took a hand to scratch his chin. “You know there is an older witch in the village who might be able to help train you.” Isabella felt a tinge of excitement run through her. “Really, do you think she would train me?” Samuel nodded as he spoke. “I do not know. We could ask her tomorrow. It only makes sense as most of the Malagi need to be trained how to harness their power. My mother taught me. And since you did not have any close family members to teach you on using the mystical arts.” Excitement she previously had about being taught gave way to familiar feelings of anger. She explained to Samuel. “Believe me, there were quite a few things my parents did not teach me that I had to learn on my own.”

Isabella noticed a concerned look on Samuel’s face, and she shook her head in response. “Just ignore me.” She tried to push away her feelings of rising anger as she knew anger was not very ladylike. When Isabella became a young woman, she found herself sorely missing some essential skills that others in her village deemed a necessity. She was shocked when Nathanial married her as she did not know how to cook, sew, or even read. Isabella for a long time felt as if she was a broken object, and even now that she was called a Queen did not erase that feeling. She stated to Samuel. “I would like to meet this older witch. Could we go and see her?”

“Yes of course.” Samuel answered her as he placed a hand on her back. She gazed into his hazel eyes as a new type of silence filled the air. Isabella looked up into his handsome face as his hand on her back pulled her closer to him. As she was about to close her eyes for an incoming kiss, a motion on the side of the stairs caught her eye. Isabella pulled away from Samuel as she recognized the shape and tried to gain a better sight of it. She saw the blonde woman with the elaborate bag – the same woman she first saw during her attempt to flee the kingdom. The blonde woman began to run down the stairs and Isabella stumbled on her feet pushing Samuel backwards a foot.

A whizzing sound passed by Isabella as she felt a painful sting on her shoulder. She was about to exclaim out loud that something bit her when she heard a loud crack. Samuel and Isabella turned towards the sound to see the cracked glass on the French door with a long stick stuck in the middle. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she tried to make out what the long stick was when Samuel blurted out. “That’s a steel tipped arrow.” Isabella felt a warm liquid on her hand and pulled the hand in front of her to check the liquid. Shock ran through her as it was red blood on her palm. Samuel pulled Isabella towards the other French door and opened it quickly. He stated out loud as he pushed Isabella into the ballroom. “Someone is trying to kill the Queen.”