It had been about two years since he first saw her and Theon accompanied his brothers every time they went to watch Zaphina dance, just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful girl who had called him a murderer.

She was right in a way, because his brothers were murderers, but he wasn't like that.

At least he hoped so.

If he were like his brothers, he reasoned to himself, he would have commanded her to talk to him. He wouldn't have been sitting and waiting for a glimpse of her like a hungry man waiting for a morsel of food.

Was she really that special? He didn't even have to answer that question. She was probably just one of the common folk, judging from her poor dress. But only the gods knew what was so alluring about her that he kept being pulled towards her.

So despite everything, he would come along with his brothers every time, only to sneak out of the hall at the first chance to go look for the girl, sometimes only catching a quick look before she disappeared again. It was like she knew he was waiting and she was torturing his sore eyes purposefully.

This time, he told himself, he would catch more than just a glimpse. He was going to ask her name.

So as his brothers sat in the hall, half drunk, he went to his usual hiding spot near the trees outside and waited.

After what felt like hours of waiting, she appeared there, like an apparition behind the curtains, her face still covered by a veil.

She looked around, making sure no one was watching her, hesitating a little before she came out from behind them and swayed a little before the music took over her.

Her thick, ill fitting dress hugged her curves when she swayed her arms with such grace that it seemed like the air was water, and she were some sort of mystical water sprite. Her feet played hide and seek with the shadows, sometimes making her seem like she was floating. Her wild, restless hair ran in thick, dark waves along her shapely back as she swayed, moving with her.

Her beautiful hazel eyes with that mysterious cyan glint seemed even more mischievous than they did the last time he laid eyes on her. The light from the torches seemed to kiss her shapely brows as one of them raised as she moved, and he felt like it shot an arrow into his heart.

He sat there speechless, mesmerized. How could someone so pretty have become even more beautiful?

Her veil was thicker than before, but he couldn't help but notice that her body had became more curvy, filling out the ill fitting old smock. A strange pain went through his heart, wondering how he lived so comfortably while she didn't even own a fitting dress.

He hesitated, then took a tentative step out from behind the trees in a trance, making his way towards her as she was engrossed in the music.

***

Dnarza's body had taken to the beat of the drums, but her mind was elsewhere. Was he looking for her again? She always caught him trying to catch a glimpse of her, but she would escape before he could call out.

She wondered why he was showing so much interest in her. She was a plain faced girl, a court dancer's daughter at that. And royalty never associated themselves with the likes of her, unless it was to use them like his brothers used her mother. No. She was not going to let that happen.

Destiny wanted her to become like her mother, but she was bent on changing that. She was addicted to reading, gaining knowledge. A strange desire for power dwelt in her, and she tried her best to suppress it. What could a girl like her do with desires like those? It would end badly.

Her mind drifted off towards him again and she wondered if he was any different from his brothers. He did not seem to be as used to getting his way as they were, not by the way he spent his time outside the halls, instead of inside, where his brothers sat watching her mother dance, later taking her to her very room to defile her. She shuddered at the thought.

And unlike them, he was handsome. She had only looked into his sharp grey eyes once and it was enough to make her feel the strange excitement one felt while going for a run. He was very tall, though thin, his slim face with some roundness gave him a boyish charm. She wondered if he had changed since the last time she saw him properly.

Then she shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts out. He was a part of the family responsible for killing the king and making her mother miserable. She could never forget that.

Strangely, she felt someone watching her, so she stopped and opened her eyes.

There he stood, just a short distance from her, watching, with his hypnotizing gray eyes running over her body. His face seemed to have become more rugged and handsome, his arms more muscular. He seemed to have grown even taller in a year, just about the same age as her.

She had known because she had heard about his sixteenth birth anniversary which was coming up, for which her mother was preparing.

They stood and stared for a few seconds.

When she came to her senses, she told herself that she had to get away from him. She turned to leave, but his hand gripped her wrist, gently but firmly.

"My lady, we have been playing this strange game of hide and seek since a very long time. Don't you think perhaps it is time we get to know each other?" He asked, walking closer.

The audacity! she thought. How dare he hold her by the wrist like that? Prince or not, nobody had permission to touch her without her consent. Nevertheless, the part of her wrist his hand touched tingled with a warm sensation. His hand was so gentle.

"I've told you before. I do not talk to murderers." She said angrily, trying to pull away. "Kindly remove your hand off my wrist."

He complied, putting a hand on his chest and faking pain."Then perhaps you should stop talking at all, because you've been killing me slowly for all this time."

Dnarza couldn't help but blush a little, a small smile creeping on her lips despite herself. He was being melodramatic.

He seemed to have noticed the change in her composure.

"Perhaps you could tell me your name, ease the pain a little." He said, grinning a little, covering the distance between them.

He was charming. Dnarza couldn't believe she was giving in so easily. Perhaps giving him her name wouldn't hurt much.

"Dnarza." She almost whispered, like she was afraid someone would hear her. She took a step backwards, her heart racing and realized that her back was now touching the wall.

"What a beautiful name." He said looking into her eyes. He placed both his arms on the wall, trapping her.

A voice inside was telling her to get away from him, warning her of the consequences. The rest of her body was trying to ignore that voice.

"I-I have," She wanted to say she had to go, but this was all she could choke out.

One of his hands reached up to her face and gently pulled her veil off. His eyes burnt with a strange fire as they swept across her face.

"So beautiful." He whispered, taking her face into his hand, his thumb moving against her lower lip. His eyes lowered from her eyes to her lips and she realized what he was about to do.

"I have been waiting to do this since so long." Surprisingly, she found her eyes closing in anticipation.

His face bent towards hers, she could almost taste his sweet smelling breath. His lips had almost touched hers when they heard a voice.

"There you are!" a voice came from behind him. It was Grant, the second prince, his elder brother.

She could see the resemblance between Theon and his brother. They had they same brown hair and gray eyes. But Grant had a long nose, his jawline was more rounded. His smooth skin stretched over his face in a way that made her skin crawl. And there was something unsettling about his eyes. They made her feel like he would eat her up alive. She came to her senses and dropped her eyes, taking a step away from him.

"I knew you were up to something." He looked at Theon, who had removed his hands from the wall and stood beside her, bent forward slightly in a defensive stance. "So this is what you have been up to. My brother is finally becoming a man."

Dnarza looked around for a way out. This would be the only chance she might get to escape. She needed to get out of here.

She turned to leave, when she felt a rough grip on her wrist. It was Grant.

"Where are you going, sweet thing?" He said, pulling her to him, she withdrew herself from the strong stench of alcohol coming from his garishly bright violet clothing.

"What a beauty." He said, running a finger down her cheek. "Have you been hiding her away from me, Theon?" Her stomach lurched from the horrible sensation.

Dnarza jerked her hand away from him, pushing him. He staggered a couple of steps backwards as she regained her balance and leaned against the wall.

His stare became cold and menacing. His balance was off. He was drunk.

Theon quickly took his place between them. "She doesn't belong to you." He said, raising a protective arm in front of her. "Leave her alone, Grant. You are drunk."

"Bloody whóre! How dare you push me away like that?" He said, staggering towards her, held by Theon. "I will wreck your life. I will make you miserable." He raised his hand to grab her, but Theon pulled him away. "I will ravage your body until you beg for death, if it's the last thing I do."

Dnarza was shaken by his words. What had she gotten herself into?

"That's my daughter." Came her mother's voice. She must have heard the commotion.

She walked gracefully towards them, despite the indecent clothes she was forced to wear. She took hold of Dnarza's shoulder and came in front of her.

"Please, your highness. Forgive her for her insolence. She is but a foolish young girl." She begged, looking at the prince. Her mother looked terrified.

"Your daughter. How very interesting." Said Grant, still holding Theon's shoulder. "Very well, then. I will give your daughter the opportunity to amend her mistakes by performing her first dance at Theon's sixteenth birth anniversary celebrations." He gave her an unsettling stare. "Whether or not she is worthy of my forgiveness will be decided by how well she performs."

He placed his stare on her mother. "Get your chambers ready, Zaphina. I will be spending the night with you. Tonight has been quite stressful."

Tears burnt in Dnarza's eyes as she looked at her mother walk away towards her chambers.

Theon's gaze met hers before he turned to leave and she could see anger and regret in them.

A/N: hope you like it! I know it's long, but any shorter would have spoiled the continuity. Thanks for reading!