A week had past by but Alaska still couldn't wipe off the silly smile on her face whenever she'd think about a certain royal member. She'd lay in bed, dreaming of different scenarios, very well aware that if they happened in reality, she'd end up saying something stupid. Those days, daydreams seemed better than reality.

"Why are you smiling?" Teresa asked her daughter suspiciously.

"Are you thinking about a boy?" Her father asked.

Ugh, parents.

"I'm sure Miss Alaska remembered the rib-tickler I told her this morning," Debra, their cook added. Ally smiled at the elderly woman gratefully. She had curly blonde hair that was always tied up neatly in a bun and wore bright skirts and blouses with floral prints. She was the closest thing Ally had to a mother. In short, the complete opposite of Teresa.

"How's the search for Noah going?" Ally asked her father with a hope-filled heart.

Clarence sighed. She disturbed him every morning while he tried to read the newspaper. No talking at the dining table, that was the rule but Alaska was never one to follow rules mindlessly. "They have a few people to talk to. You included, Debra," he said, not looking up from the newspaper. A newspaper was to Clarence what porn was to teens.

"Me? B-But why would I do that? Master N-Noah was like a son to me!" The cook protested. And it was true. Debra had pretty much taken Noah and Naomi under her care right from the time they were born. Teresa rolled her eyes at the overly dramatic woman.

"Sweetie, go get dressed," her mother told Alaska.

Ally knew what would happen the moment she got up. Her parents would start arguing like always. To the world, they were happily married. Only Debra knew the real truth but she was loyal enough not to speak a word of it. When she reached her room, she smiled widely.

I'll finally get to see him after a week.

"Monkey, do you think he thinks about me too?" She asked her teddy bear.

"How will you know? You're just a bear," she laughed.

That evening, a meeting of all the important people of Blackwater would be taking place. Being the daughter of the mayor, it was mandatory for her to go. This year she wouldn't complain since she was getting to see her special friend. Her dress was a blood red colour that had a slightly low neck but still protected her modesty. Her mother did her makeup since Alaska couldn't manage to put winged eyeliner without making her eyelids look like waves.

"Look at all these beautiful ladies. All so beautiful and skinny," Teresa let out a sigh of approval.

Alaska gave her mother an annoyed look. Beauty isn't being skinny or having flawless skin. It's laughing till your stomach aches. Crying till you run out of tears. Eating till you feel like you weigh the same as a whale. It's smiling because you can't stop thinking about someone. It's running till you run out of breath and singing till you can't speak anymore.

Beauty isn't having perfect hair and expensive clothes. It is a feeling you get while watching the waves crash against each other while the wind messes up your hair. It's the early morning look of your lover, not the look that someone put hours into. It's being happy, being free.

Beauty is simply living.

"Alaska, you look stunning," Adrian said with a warm smile as he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Happy birthday to you." Her eyes widened and immediately the both of them burst into a fit of laughter. She often said someone embarrassing when someone complimented her. "Thank you, Adrian," she laughed with embarrassment.

Adrian helped her into a seat and left after a few moments of making small talk with the other ladies at the table. "Are you and King Adrian sleeping with each other?" A woman asked. Alaska blushed. "No!" The entire table of ladies burst into soft giggles.

A blonde haired woman, only a few years elder than Alaska, walked in. She had long legs and hypnotic azure eyes that shone bright against her tanned skin. Her dress, much like Alaska's, was deep red but was backless and a few inches shorter. Alaska felt threatened when she took a seat next to her. She appeared like a dwarf in comparison to her. Tall people suck, she decided.

"Alaska," the lady smiled.

"Verona."

- Heiress of the Alerian Throne. Rumour had it, she was Arian's betrothed and on several occasions, the duo were even spotted together but the rumours were never confirmed to be facts. It didn't bother her before because she wasn't interested in Arian until recently.

The worst part?

Everyone loved Verona.

She was little miss perfect. Always polite and indubitably a delightful sight to adore. She was what Alaska called warm hearted and slow to temper. Unlike herself. The ladies began exchanging stories about theirs husbands or lovers. Mostly lovers.

"So this one time," Verona laughed, "I was sucking Arian off and his stepmom walked in on us!" All the ladies began laughing at the Princess' tale. Alaska wanted to take a plate and smack herself. Hearing about Arian with other women stung.

You know what would be a better story? Once upon a time, you were sucking Ice off and you chocked and died. Everyone lived happily ever after. The end.

•(A/N: Please play the song now! You won't regret it!)•

The door to the banquet hall was pushed open and in that moment, everyone was quiet as they took in the scene in front of them. The powerful aura that entered the room was felt by each and every soul. The women present fixed their hair and dresses to please him. The men fixed the suits and chugged down the expensive whiskey from their crystal glasses.

He walked in dominantly, everyone bowing down to His Highness. His black suit and snow white shirt was well complimented by the royal blue tie that he had around his neck. Alaska could almost smell his rich perfume. Everything about him was rich.

His piercing eyes swept around the room as he bit his lip to prevent himself from smirking. Everyone felt the power radiating off him. Alaska knew one thing in that moment. She'd met Arian before. As a murderer, as a predator and as a saviour. But today he's there as someone else. Someone special.

The mayor and another councilman greeted the king with utmost respect as the people finally sat down when the king nodded his head in acknowledgment. He had a relaxed demeanour which ironically seemed to tense up the people in the room. He was a just king but one that shouldn't be messed with. There was a darkness hidden in his kind eyes. A devious reason behind his warm smile.

Alaska didn't think the rules applied to her.

She kept staring at his glorious figure, drinking in his beauty. The moment his eyes met hers, his eyes swirled with mischief as a smirk took over his lips. The mayor cleared his throat when he saw that the King was more interested in his daughter than in listening to the plans for the future of his kingdom. "Your Hi-

"Hush, Clarence. I'd rather look at your daughter," he murmured.

The two men laughed at their King's joke, unaware of how serious he was. An hour went by, with the men discussing strategies and tactics while sipping whiskey and coke whereas the women discussed about their love life. Arian, Adrian and Avian sat at the bar, mindlessly looking at the couples dancing in the centre of the room.

Arian kept sneaking glances at Alaska whereas Avian and Adrian discussed women. Alaska said something which made all the women cover their mouths and giggle. Alaska, on the other hand, slapped her hand against her knee and burst out laughing. She felt free. The three glasses of red wine had helped her with that. The other women barely had one glass.

"For fuck's sake, stop staring at her, it's getting creepy. Just ask her to dance with you," Adrian groaned.

"I'm Arian Ice. Chivalry is not my thing," he smirked arrogantly.

Avian rolled his eyes at his cousin. He wrote something on a tissue paper and called a waiter, handing him the note with a rose. "Hand it to the beautiful woman in the red dress across the room," he spoke softly so his cousins didn't hear. The waiter walked over to the table and frowned. There were two women wearing red. Alaska and Verona.

Assuming that the king would only choose the prettiest girl, the waiter handed the note and the rose to Verona since she seemed to be more fit for the king. The three cousins cursed when they saw the note being handed over to Verona instead of Alaska. All the women at the table turned their attention to Verona whose cheeks were crimson. Dance with me, the note read. She giggled and got up shyly, walking over to Arian, complying to his request. It was more like an order but women liked dominant men.

"Son of a bitch," Arian grumbled.

All eyes watched the two royalties as they made their way to the dance floor. The crowd made a circle around them, letting them dance in the centre. Everyone observed the two of them. Arian and Verona were the two most physically attractive people in the room. They perfectly complimented each other. Arian laughed at something Verona said.

Great, she even has a good sense of humour... Alaska grumbled.

What was I thinking? He'll never like me.

And no one in the room would be able to contradict Alaska. Verona and Arian had a lot in common since they both belonged to royal families and were destined to rule their people. Everything about Verona was perfect. She even had a melodious laugh. Alaska could bet that she'd sound like a hyena in comparison to Verona.

Someone grabbed her had and dragged her to the centre of the circle. There were now two Kings dancing with two beautiful ladies of their choice. Adrian smiled softly at Alaska, understanding what she was going through. It felt like déja vû to him. He twirled her around and whispered, "I danced with a girl who was in the same position that you are now. She was human just like you."

"What happened with her?" She asked, swaying gently to the music.

"She married my best friend," he grinned happily.

"That's nice," Alaska grumbled, sure that fate wouldn't be nice enough to grant her the same destiny.

"By the way, you totally have my blessings for marrying my cousin," Adrian teased.

Before she could reply, he twirled her around and gave her a slight push, sending her spinning away from him. Before she could crash into the dinner table, Arian abandoned his dance partner and pulled her to him. The two of them stared at each other, silently asking the questions they were too afraid to ask.

"You have some amazing dance moves there," Arian murmured, his lips twitching into a half smile. Alaska blushed at his sardonic comment and looked at Adrian who was dancing with Verona. "Looks like we're on our own," Arian noted.

He offered his hand to Alaska. She looked at it sceptically before taking it reluctantly. He guided her back to the centre of the circle. All the women in the room envied her. It was no secret that their king spent the entire night looking at the girl in front of him. And he finally had her in his arms.

They enjoyed the moment for as long as they could. Alaska didn't care that her father was glaring daggers at her. It didn't matter that she would be the town's new talk the next morning. She just looked at Arian, glad to be in his presence. Yet, in the back of her mind she knew that they could never be together. As if hearing her words, fate decided to take matters into his own hands. Arian's eyes visibly darkened.

Arian's hands found the zip of Alaska's dress.

Before he could unzip her, she pushed him away and slapped him.

The sound resounded in the entire room as the DJ stopped the music. Everyone stared at the couple. Arian's blue eyes turned into a milky white colour which only Alaska noticed. His breathing was harsh. He turned her around so that her back was against his toned chest. "You'll pay for that, kitten," he promised with a dark smile.

He pushed her away and walked out, his cousins following behind him shortly. Everyone's attention was then on Alaska. The girl that slapped the King of the Vampires. She was suddenly overwhelmed by the judgemental stares of everyone in the room. Her act wouldn't go unpunished, she knew that. But being punished was better than being taken advantage of.

"Alaska!" Verona called out when Alaska was alone in the hallway.

"Yes?" She asked numbly.

"The zip of your dress has come off," she whispered. She offered her coat which Alaska gratefully accepted. Alaska realised what had happened and how wrong she was for slapping Arian. Verona looked at her sympathetically.

"Arian wasn't trying to unzip your dress," Verona said.

"He was protecting my dignity," Alaska whispered.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

: I totally had a Gossip Girl moment over there😎

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Bwahaha the evil Arian is back😈 I love writing about the bad guys. Good guys are so boring.

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