Earlier today I was sent a box containing a slinky silver dress, along with a note saying:

My sweet rose,

You will look enchanting in this gown tonight.

Yours,

Morpheus

The sounds of the front door shutting and gravel crunching underfoot reaches me. Father is off to dinner without me. Sorry Morph, not going to happen.

I feel a bit bad that I feigned illness, although to be fair I do feel sick with guilt about my pending departure. Darish left two days ago and I'm supposed to leave tomorrow night. Rationally I know that I can't stay here, but I'm not sure if I can broach the subject with my father.

With a sigh, I wander over to my wardrobe and without much enthusiasm, pick out some clothes to take with me. That unattractive brown riding dress gets added to the pile. I smile, thinking of Tabbi's face when I bought it. That was a fun shopping trip. My heart stutters, I really miss her and I am reminded of my final night with Aren. I can't believe I'm leaving again.

I pull out my old rucksack from its hiding place at the back of a drawer and stroke the material. It has seen better days, but it is one of the few things from my old world and it has travelled all around Elysium with me.

Just as I finish packing, there is a knock at my bedroom door. Father said that no one would disturb me unless it was an emergency. Shoving the bag under the bed, I open the door to find one of the royal messengers in the hallway. There is no sign of Alex.

He bows low. "Your Highness, it is imperative that you come immediately."

"Is it my father?"

"Please, you must make haste. He needs you now." The urgency in his voice has me grasping for my cloak.

Outside, the messenger holds up a lantern to light the way and walks briskly, his boots clicking on the stone paving slabs as we weave through the dark grounds. I have to scurry to keep up. We are not headed towards the palace, so a thread of fear runs through me that my father could be seriously ill, possibly in the infirmary.

The messenger stops at the doorway to a squat building with a huge domed roof. I slow my steps and approach with caution, for it does not look like the kind of place my father would be. My instincts scream that something is seriously amiss when I step inside to find a dimly-lit and eerily quiet lobby. Candles flicker from the steps of a wide spiral staircase to my right.

When I make no attempt to move, the messenger urges me, "Your Highness. He is awaiting you upstairs."

"My father is here?" I still find it hard to believe.

He points to the door at the top of the stairs and pleads, "Please, your Highness. There is little time."

There are beads of sweat on his forehead and he makes it seem like this is a matter of life and death. Despite having serious reservations, I climb the stairs. If father really does need me I would feel awful if I just walked away.

I open the door into pitch darkness and snag a candle from the top step. The room must be massive, for the candlelight does not penetrate its shadowy edges and my footsteps echo.

"Father, are you there?" I strain my ears but only silence answers me.

The door slams shut, making me jump and blowing out the candle. I am assailed by a slightly acrid scent of smoke. Spinning around, I walk back towards the doorway and collide with a solid body.

The power wrapping around me alerts me to his identity, even before the deep voice of the king resounds, "My beautiful rose."

"Morpheus! This is a surprise." My voice comes out a little squeaky.

"A good surprise, I hope."

"I thought something was wrong with my father."

"All is well, now that you are here."

Stupid, stupid, Elle. Great, I have been lured here under a false pretence.

I take a tentative step backwards, but an arm wraps around my back and effortlessly pulls me flush against his body. We are standing so close that I can feel the heat of his body and can smell his masculine yet spicy cologne.

"Do not run," he whispers hoarsely by my ear. Then in a more normal voice says, "I am so glad that you could join me for dinner tonight after all."

Candles flare to life. Morpheus points to the domed ceiling. "I had hoped that we could dine by starlight, alas the clouds have quite spoilt my plans."

Gazing upwards, I realise that we are in an observatory. My cloak slips to the ground and my dress writhes against my skin.

"No matter. Now I have my own star."

When I look down, I find myself clothed in the silver, floor-length silk dress that I left still in its box in my room. The shimmering material clings so tightly that it almost appears as if I have been dipped in silver paint.

He holds out his arm and I stare at it for a moment before conceding temporary defeat. I have been outfoxed and he could turn dangerous if I refuse. Dinner with the devil it is then.

He leads me to the centre of the room where a circular, black marble table is set for two. The neatly arranged silver cutlery and cut crystal glasses reflect in its polished surface. Like a gentleman, he pulls out a chair for me and then pushes it back in, before taking a seat himself.

The sparkling white plates are completely bare, yet there is no sign of any servers. Morpheus winks as if reading my puzzlement, clicks his fingers and an oval dish of oysters appears in the centre of the table. Then the glasses fill with golden liquid, from the bottom upward.

Taking one of the glasses, he raises a toast. "To many nights under the stars."

I take a sip. It is elven wine and I can't have too much as I need to keep my head.

.....

It is impossible to completely relax during such an intimate dinner with the Dark King. I am completely out of my depth. Morpheus meanwhile is all seductive charm and seems more at ease than I have ever seen him.

After several dishes, he draws his chair close enough for our legs to touch. "I have a surprise for dessert." He places one hand over my eyes and brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. "Open for me."

It is with trepidation that I open my mouth and allow him to feed me something. Deprived of sight, my focus is on the flavours and it is like my taste buds have died and gone to heaven. First, luscious creamy chocolate slides across my tongue and then I bite down into the succulent flesh of a strawberry.

When he removes his hand from my eyes, I'm greeted by a dish of glistening, ripe strawberries. Where he got them from this time of year, or solar, I have no idea. Beside it is a bowl of melted chocolate, which I eye greedily, suppressing the urge to dive into it. It's the first chocolate I have seen since coming to Elysium.

He dips a plump fruit into the chocolate and holds it up, teasing me several times before finally placing it in my mouth. Giddy, I laugh, forgetting just how dangerous he is. Coating one of the largest strawberries I feed it to him.

The combination of amusement and hunger glittering in his silver eyes make me realise this is a dangerous path. I take a fortifying sip of wine. Although he has not topped up my glass, it does not seem to have reduced in volume.

Morpheus rises from his seat and holds out a hand. Placing a hand in his, I allow him to help me to my feet, then he tucks my hand in the crook of his arm and escorts me over to a chaise.

"Let us get more comfortable." He flops down, pulling me with him.

I need an exit strategy. Dinner was one thing, but now I'm almost sat in his lap. He is rather like the proverbial wolf. I mutter under my breath, "I feel like little red riding hood."

"Do you wish me to clothe you in red?" His hand trails down my body and the dress changes from silver to red.

"It is a story from the world where I grew up." I feel the need to explain and perhaps bring some normality to the situation.

"Pray share it with me." Amusement is evident in his tone.

I take the opportunity to ease away and turn slightly to face him before recounting the tale.

"There was once a girl, who always wore a red cape, we shall call her Red. One day she was walking through the woods on her way to visit her poorly grandmother, she was diverted from the path by a wolf in disguise. He told her to pick some roses for her grandmother.

"When she got to her grandmother's cottage, the old woman was in bed, but something did not seem right. She exclaimed 'Grandmother, what big eyes you have' and grandmother responded, 'All the better to see you with.'"

I make the mistake of looking into Morpheus's eyes and get lost in those silvery depths.

"Proceed."

Blinking out of a trance, I continue. "Then Red said 'Grandmother, what big ears you have' and her grandmother responded, 'All the better to hear you with.'"

Morpheus lifts my hand to his own ear and gently guides it over the pointed tip before releasing it. I swear, he looks as if he could purr.

"Then Red said 'Grandmother, what big teeth you have' and her grandmother, who was really the wolf in disguise, responded 'All the better to eat you with.' The wolf leapt up and swallowed her whole.

"But her screams were heard by a wood cutter who came to her rescue. He cut the wolf open and the girl jumped out unharmed."

"I must confess that I do not care for the ending." Morpheus pouts then a mischievous smile plays upon his lips. "I have my own tale to tell.

.........

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